Good Monday to you my “Walking with Jesus” friends wherever you are.
Today is a special day for our world, do you know why? Two years ago today, final plans were being made by Hamas for a very sophisticated, brutal invasion into Israeli territory for the massacre of innocent Israeli citizens enjoying the festivities of one of their annual, very significant Jewish Festivals, Sukkot.
This year Sukkot begins at sundown this evening (October 6) and will last for 7 days. The Sukkot week calls Jews around the world to remember that their ancestors wandered in the desert for 40 years living in temporary shelters after they refused to trust God and go into the Land of God’s Promise. (Numbers 13,14)
The day after this week-long Sukkot festival is a day of great, joyful celebration as they thank God that He did not abandon His people in the desert but cared DAILY for their needs and finally brought them out, leading them across the miraculously dried up Jordan river, into their new land, during the harvest season! It was on that day of great celebration two years ago, that Hamas terrorists struck the Jewish people in their joyful Sukkot celebrations, brutally killing over 1200 and taking hostage 251 people.
As so often happens in our ‘Walking with Jesus’ journey, where we arrive in our Scripture reading today has a very interesting correlation to the Jewish Sukkot festival and Hamas tragedy memorial of today and tomorrow in our modern world.
Joshua 13:1 says: “When Joshua had grown old, the LORD said to him, ‘you are now very old and there are still large areas of land to be taken over…” In the verses which follow, the land area God described to Joshua as still untamed included what we know today as the Gaza Strip and God specifically named the key 5 Philistine cities: Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron.
All five of these cities were strongholds of the vicious Philistines who occupied that coastal area and were perpetual enemies of Israel during the entire time of the Old Testament. The giant Goliath, who battled young David, was from the city of Gath. (1 Samuel 17:4) When the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant on the battlefield, they took it first to Ashdod and put it in the temple of their god Dagon, placing it before the hand-carved statue of Dagon. (1 Samuel 5:1-5) But God’s mighty hand punished the people of Ashdod, and they sent the Ark to Gath. (1 Samuel 5:6-9) But Gath also suffered greatly as God punished that town, so the people packed up the Ark and sent it to Ekron. (1 Samuel 5:10-12) But as happened in Ashdod and Gath, people started dying in Ekron, so the Philistine leaders, in great fear, finally sent the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel! (1 Samuel 6)
In the news from Israel over the past few years we have often heard references to or reports coming from Gaza, Ashdod and Ashkelon, modern cities very near the ruins of those original towns in Joshua’s day. It’s fascinating to me that since the days of Joshua, that part of the land of Israel, those specific cities, and the people who live there have continued their opposition to the existence of the nation of Israel! The remainder of Joshua 13 describes the sad reality of Joshua giving to the tribes of Gad, Reuben and the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh, the land inheritance they requested (Numbers 32) on the EAST side of the Jordan river in what is today the nation of Jordan.
Joshua 14 is a very special moment in the Grand Narrative, as Caleb finally receives his land inheritance within the Land of God’s Promise. Joshua 14:8 reads: “Now the people of the tribe of Judah approached Joshua at Gilgal, and Caleb son of Jephunneh said to Joshua: ‘You know what the LORD said to Moses, the man of God, at Kadesh Barnea about you and me. I was 40 years old when Moses sent us to explore the land. And I brought back to Moses my report according to my convictions…”
Oh my, what a powerful statement. But I suppose we should acknowledge that even though the other 10 scouts gave a very fearful report, which threw the people into panic and led them to revolt against Moses calling for a new leader, they too, it would appear, gave a report, albeit fearful, according to their convictions! (Numbers 13:28-14:4)
But Caleb recounts this about the report he gave that day: “I followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly. So, on that day Moses swore to me: ‘The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the LORD my God wholeheartedly.” (Joshua 14:8,9) Speaking or acting with conviction is a powerful thing, but doing so passionately following God wholeheartedly is something only a few people have the conviction to do! Caleb and Joshua were both those types of men, for that day before Moses they were the only two who stood and gave a faith filled report after scouting out the land.
So, let’s watch and listen as Caleb makes his request: “Now then, just as the LORD promised, He has kept me alive for 45 years…while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, 85 years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out, I am just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me the hill country that the LORD promised me that day… Then Joshua blessed Caleb, son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. So, Hebron has belonged to Caleb ever since because he followed the LORD, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly.” (Joshua 14:10-15)
Oh my, friends, let’s pause right here and just soak in this scene. Two old friends. Two courageous men who both followed God wholeheartedly and had been great leaders in Israel, especially when they stood alone!
Hebron, you may remember, is one of the most significant cities in all Israel. Do you remember WHY? The great Israel patriarchs are buried there! Abraham & Sarah; Isaac & Rebekah; Jacob & Leah!! (Genesis 49:29-31) Oh my what an appropriate inheritance for Caleb and his family, do you agree?
On this significant October 6th, may I urge us to pray for Jews all over the world as they begin their Sukkot festivities? Oh, let’s pray that the Holy Spirit will help them see Jesus as their Messiah. Let’s also intercede on behalf of the hostages and their families and all those who’ve been terrorized by the events of the past 2 years in Israel. And let’s pause to ask ourselves if we fit the criteria for being a ‘Caleb‘, a man who followed God wholeheartedly and stood on his Godly convictions faithfully for his entire lifetime!
For additional notes and summary statements for reflection, please open the Grand Narrative link below and today, I’ve chosen a special Sukkot celebration song which will help us join with our Jewish friends in praising God for ALL He is and all He has done for His glory! And I’ll see you here again tomorrow.
Today’s Scripture: Joshua 13-14.
Choose below to read or listen.
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Joshua 14
Bible images provided with attribution to www.LumoProject.com.
Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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